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SwampFox said:
CHICAGO – A 14-year-old boy accused of impersonating a police officer and going on patrol has pleaded not guilty.

The teenager appeared in a juvenile courtroom on Monday with his hands cuffed behind his back. A judge ordered that he be held at the juvenile center because he could pose a danger to himself.

On Saturday the teen, wearing an officer's uniform, walked into a police station and was assigned to go on patrol. He partnered with another officer for about five hours before the ruse was discovered.

Police say the boy did not have a gun, never issued any tickets and didn't drive the squad car.

The Rev. Roosevelt Watkins says the boy had lived with him for much of the past year and is fascinated by police work.

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Aw, c'mon - that doesn't sound so bad. On the news they said the kid used to be in a Police Explorer outfit, and that's why he had the uniform but no badge. It sounds like he just wants to be a cop - and being 14, he handled this wrong.

If I was running that police station, instead of prosecuting the kid I'd see about getting him back in Police Explorers so eventually, with the proper training and permissions, he could go on ride-alongs. Who knows - if he likes it that much, he might make a good cop someday.

But mostly I'd have a come-to-Jesus meeting with my DUMB officer who let someone do a ride-along with no I.D., no orders from a supervisor, and no documentation - and then didn't figure out that the kid was 14 for FIVE HOURS. Sheesh.

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